1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an ear-hook boom microphone including an external ear speaker. The boom microphone hooks around a user""s ear to allow for hands-free communication.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional citizen band (CB) radios, often used in motor vehicles, are hand operated units with a handheld microphone. As the number of vehicles on the road increases each day, it is critical that drivers stay focused on driving and keep both hands on the steering wheel. Those familiar with driving in traffic can appreciate that it is difficult and dangerous for the driver to be constantly reaching down to their CB unit to retrieve the handheld microphone. Various devices have been proposed to facilitate a solution to this problem, but such devices have not proved completely satisfactory.
Current ear-hanging headsets are generally a unitary piece of metal or plastic having a microphone element placed at the end of a boom, or extension, proximate the user""s mouth. However, these prior art units fail to address some basic problems including, but not limited to, ambient noise interference and the use of microphone headsets with eyeglasses.
As ambient noise from the surrounding environment is picked up by the microphone, the clarity of the conversation is reduced. Currently, microphone elements are simply attached to the end of the boom and are covered by a foam shield to minimize the ambient noise. This design is only partially effective in reducing ambient noise.
Further, the current ear-hanging headsets are designed with a solid curved piece shaped to conform to the pinna of a human ear and fail to provide any accommodation to users that wear eyeglasses (i.e., prescription glasses, sunglasses, etc.). The curved pieces are usually built to provide adequate strength and support and are, therefore, made from rigid materials. As such, it is difficult for a user to wear these conventional headsets in connection with their eyeglasses. In one instance, the frames of the eyeglasses must lay on top of the rigid material which causes improper optical alignment for the user. Alternately, the frame must be sandwiched next to the rigid material and in the small space between the user""s ear and the user""s head. This may cause irritable rubbing and may become very painful and annoying.
In addition to the discomfort associated with supporting a boom microphone on a user""s ear, prior microphones have attempted to include a speaker adjacent the user""s auditory canal. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,715,321, to Andrea et al., discloses a headset with a speaker positioned adjacent the user""s auditory canal. In fact, the speaker is designed to sit directly against the ear and the auditory canal. This creates undesirable pressure around the user""s ear.
The positioning of the speaker on the ear adjacent the auditory canal covers the auditory canal and is designed to provide a maximum auditory output to the listener. The design is specifically constructed to limit the entry of surrounding noises to the auditory canal. As a result, momentary, unexpected changes in the output volume may be highly distracting, and sometimes painful, to the user. The construction of the speaker makes it difficult to adjust the speaker for quickly relieving the user of the distracting sound.
In fact, it is the industry standard to place the mobile speaker either directly against the ear and the auditory canal, or place a receiver attached tube directly into the auditory (ear) canal. These methods are very old, totally unnecessary and even hazardous. It is illegal in many states and municipalities to cover either ear in any way when operating a motor vehicle. Covering the ear or plugging the ear canal limits dramatically the ability to hear surrounding noises, including horns, sirens and other warning devices.
Not only does covering the ear reduce hearing, but it also creates an xe2x80x9coceanxe2x80x9d, or hollow, sound. As a result, users of some prior art headsets experience a competition between internal body sounds and external surrounding sounds. This competition significantly lessens the hearing ability of a person wearing a headset.
In addition to the undesirable position of the speaker on the user""s ear, the apparatus disclosed in the ""321 patent, as well as similar designs found in the prior art, include a speaker which is integrally formed with the headset. The speaker is, therefore, an irreplaceable part of the apparatus and the user is stuck with the speaker whether it is desired or not.
A need therefore exists for an ear mounted boom assembly including a speaker overcoming the shortcoming of prior art apparatuses. The present invention provides such an ear mounted boom assembly with an external ear speaker.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a novel ear-hook microphone device that can accommodate a variety of users while increasing audio detection.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an ear hook microphone device including a pivotally and releasably mounted external ear speaker.
In one embodiment, an ear-hook microphone is comprised of a hollow angled tubular housing, a boom extension and an ear-hook. The housing being formed at a 90 degree angle defines first and second legs which receive a microphone element. The boom connects the housing to the ear-hook allowing the housing to be placed proximal the user""s mouth. The ear-hook includes an inner side shaped and dimensioned to conform to the outer periphery of the pinna of a human ear providing support for the device.
In another embodiment, the microphone housing is rotatably secured to the boom allowing the device to be positioned over the right or left ear of a user.
In another embodiment, the headset device is formed from separate elements connected together. Specifically, the housing includes a portion that is sized to provide a secure friction fit within the internal diameter of one end of the boom. At the opposite end, the boom includes an opening sized to securely accommodate an end of the ear-hook.
In another embodiment, the microphone includes a novel housing which contains a microphone element and an associated microphone cord. The housing is in the form of a 90 degree angled tube with first and second legs having first and second ends. The housing includes a microphone element seat in the first leg for maintaining the relative positioning of the microphone element within the housing. Further, four voice entry ports are located, at approximately 90 degree intervals around the circumference of the housing, between the location of the element seat and the housing apex. The housing includes various internal barriers sized to reduce ambient noise. The housing is formed in two halves which are hinged together and include a latching means allowing for opening and closing of the housing to enable replacement of the microphone element if necessary.
In another embodiment, the housing includes a plurality of fins, each positioned on opposite sides of the outside of the first leg of the housing, for assisting in maintaining an open cell foam wind screen on the unattached end of the first leg of the housing.
In an alternate embodiment, the ear-hook incorporates a recess formed on the outer side which is sufficiently sized and positioned so as to be capable of receiving an eyeglass frame. This enables a user, who is wearing eyeglasses, to wear the ear-hook with the eyeglasses frames being received in the recess.
In another embodiment, the ear-hook includes an auditory canal seat formed in an inner side of the ear-hook, sized and positioned so as to provide a secure fit between the ear-hook and the auditory meatus of a user""s ear.
In an alternate embodiment, the ear-hook includes an auditory canal seat adapter enabling adjustment in size of the ear-hook depending on the varying sizes of different user ears.
In another embodiment, the ear-hook is formed as two distinct pieces detachably secured to one another.
Other objects, advantages and salient features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, which taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses a preferred, but non-limiting, embodiment of the subject invention.